Alondra Rodriguez

Delmi Santos

Jessica Yowell

Teacups In Her Backpack

She kept teacups in her backpack
And wrote notes on her hands that no one understood but her
In fact she was a blackboard
She had tattoos and freckles so she turned modernism into picasso
She liked to roll up the cuffs to her jeans and sleeves so more light could touch her and
Maybe soak its way through to her soul
Or at least her bones
Because her father told her her bones were too small and
One day someone was gonna come along and break them all and claim it was an accident

She wore closed-toed shoes because she never knew when life could drop hot soup on her lap
She kept stones in her pockets so if she started to sink she could throw them overboard
And have a chance of staying afloat
She sits at her own table and makes her own lunch
And she’ll eat it with the backs of pens like chopsticks

Sometimes she wished everyone breathed like her
In a rhythm even when she was sitting still
But then they’d understand how her heart worked and she
Didn’t like that idea quite so much
Then they all might keep teacups in their backpacks
And it would no longer be beautiful

-E.B.

10 O-Clock Thoughts

I love food:

Breakfast food! Scrambled eggs, hash brown casserole, Canadian bacon, home fries, blueberry buckle, blueberry muffins, bran muffins, grits, gravy, sausage, and omelets!

Later on: Chicken nuggets, cheeseburgers, scallops, buffalo wings, nachos, steamed shrimp,  fried chicken, hot dogs, burritos, tacos, reubens, cheese steaks, crab legs, sushi, and broccoli, hush puppies, General Tso’s chicken, egg rolls, turkey, ham, roast beef, refried beans, baked beans, beef stew, sweet potato casserole, macaroni, meatloaf, clams, and pot roast.

Desserts! I forgot desserts! Ice cream: chocolate, mint, and chocolate chip, strawberry, cookie dough, cookies n’ cream, rocky road; sundaes, potato candy, apple crisp, peanut butter cookies, snickerdoodles, sugar cookies, brownies, chocolate cake, vanilla cake, red velvet cake, cookie cake, cupcakes, pumpkin pie, apple pie, cherry pie, pecan pie, shoo-fly pie, and chocolate covered strawberries.

And other favorites: Doritos, Cheetos, Skittles, Butterfinger, M&M’s, Snickers, Twix, gummy worms, candy canes, whoppers, Rolos, Pez, Mike and Ike’s, candy corn, Milky Ways, jelly beans, Hershey’s chocolate, Reese’s Puffs, and Lifesavers.

-J.M.

Why Don't Poems Rhyme?

Why don’t poems rhyme? They are stubborn words scrawled across paper Refusing to fly like birds Stanzas pile against the page It makes me sick with rage. Their A B format smothering my imagination. My brain resistant they scatter creating one nation. And they still don’t rhyme Poets laboriously slave over their vocabulary god knows they have time Pencils glide along side a poet's hand words stringing together like guitars in a band But where are the rhymes? Their endless stream of of words a symphony of chimes. Each syllable separate but together calling to the world An urgent whisper to hither A great cacophony of voices uncertain of their choices They chant their incantation a furious song of the nation. Why don’t poems rhyme? Cause baby you got time.

- S.E.

Walls

When you used to come near me
I unraveled, like a sweater
someone worked on their whole life
I hated it.

I hated it when you blew through my walls
When you attacked my defenses
Until you hit vulnerable inside

Vulnerable me

Your spite was all fury
bombshells exploding
Your malice was all rage
but with a smile on your face

I was broken afterwards
The words you threw were always
killing blows

But I hugged myself, patiently
until I healed
until I got strong

and I fought back for the first time
My words were angry hornets
the size of dragons
My fists were steel
solid and quick

I hit you again and again
until you ran
arms covering your head

I built my walls again

I knew you would come back
You always do

But the walls are stronger, now, thicker
and the fists I make are curling tighter now, sharper

I know your walls are no match
and I will

Tear
Them
Down.

-L.P.

Stop The Theatrics

I could write about my anger
and frustration.

I could write about my loneliness
and agitation.

I could write about the bad in the world.
The melting ice caps,
and what I was told about the
starvation,
and the sacrifice.

But, I don’t want to write about that today.
Because I want to feel
happy.
I’m tired of being
sad.

 I want to stop feeling sorry for myself,
 is that bad.
Is it bad to hurt or feel
pain?
Is it bad to hate this
game?
This game of
life.
Everyday.

“Are you up, or are you down?”
Why do I have to choose?
I don’t wanna be just
“OK”
everyday.
I don’t want to be
mediocre.
Do I even have a
choice.?
So many questions unanswered,
is that my fault?

By the time I get to you
you’re already lost.
Either you’re far from me
or just floating right above me
telling me to
shut up.
And I try not to
look up.
But I do everytime.
Then I start to cry.

“Oh Kaia, stop with the tears,
the theatrics,
stop with the emotions,
it’s just one of your tactics.”
“NO IT’S NOT” I scream at my mind
of all things.
It’s your fault
not mine
go, just
leave.
My thoughts,
my worst enemy.

“You’ll never be like them you’ll see,
you’ll end up broken battered and bruised.
It’ll be all on you.”
I don’t want to be mad.
I don’t want to be fatigued.
I don’t want to be torn
between two things.
I don’t want to be broken.
I don’t want to be bruised.
I’m tired of telling the truth and no one
believing.
How is that my fault.?

Sitting and writing this is making
me sad.
I told you I didn’t want to be mad.
But, again with the emotions.
They don’t stop flowing.
I can’t make them stop.
They keep flowing
 and flowing.

Screaming for the truth.
Screaming for a lie.
Screaming for a way I can make them stop.
“Stop it” I say,
with all of my might.
But they keep coming,
I try and put up a fight.
My hands turn to jelly,
my muscles won’t work.
I scream at her
but nothing ever works.

My brain takes off in a swirl of emotions,
I say things that make me wonder,
about love
about life
about living
about fights.
Everything makes me cry.
I want to run,
to go someplace else.
By my shoes are off
and my phone
is upstairs.
And my mind is saying
don’t you dare.

So,
since my mind takes over me.
I do what it tells me.
But not with all of my being.
Still mad,
still upset,
stop the theatrics.

-K.F.

Stay Strong

I believe in you.

You’re worth so much,

so don’t even think about

giving up. 

Don’t let life

bring you down, you 

deserve to smile and

be happy. Not walk

around with a sad frown.

So please stay strong.

I'll always be right here,

pushing you along 

reminding you that

you’re beyond strong.

-C.D.

Necro

Once upon a time, in a land where fact and fiction battled in all out war, lived a creature named Necro. He was feared by both fact and fiction. He was of average height and build, with skin black and charred. If you completed a task that Necro assigned, normally impossible for the mortals who tried, he would allow you to fight him, but no one ever has won. If you defeated him he would grant you a wish, but he would also take away something close to you.

Centuries of constant fights left Necro quite bored. One day in the year 20X, a creature, born of both man and monster, had risen up the ranks in Heaven's Army faster than anyone had ever been able to. This creature was given the title “Angel of Death” and full trust and respect from God himself. With this title was also the task of leading the Army of Fact on the frontlines, but the Angel of Death had married a mortal woman and had with her a daughter and needed to care for them.

    

On multiple occasions Necro asked the Angel of Death to battle, but every time was the Angel of Death denied the offer to care for his wife and child. After dozens of requests Necro became furious. One day while the Angel of Death was out on a meeting with the other angels, Necro broke into the Angel of Death’s house and killed his wife and infant daughter. Once the Angel of Death had seen what had happened, he vowed to destroy Necro at all costs. He trained and trained till he knew he could defeat Necro.

After 100 years, the Angel of Death confronted Necro. “Ah, finally a challenge for me,” Necro smiled. “YOU BASTARD YOU KILLED MY FAMILY!” the Angel of Death yelled.

“If you want them back you have to beat me in a fight,” Necro explained.

“With pleasure,” the Angel of Death said.

The fight was long and brutal, the Angel of Death used his 6 foot long, black-as-night scythe and brute strength where Necro used speed and magic.

After the brutal battle was over, Necro sat in his throne with a broken blade inside his chest, slowly dying.

“You beat me, what is your wish?” he asked with his final breaths.

“I want my wife and daughter back,” the Angel of Death explained.

“As you wish.” Necro said, snapping his fingers, sending the Angel of Death back home where he saw his wife and daughter alive and well.

Necro smiled “mortality is your sacrifice”. He smiled and closed his eyes, “it's time I retire.” He smiled softly and died in his throne.

-H.M.

A Favorite Word

For a long time my favorite word was your name.

It rolled smoothly over my tongue
and was always said without hesitation.

Your name was my favorite thing to say.

It filled my mouth with pleasure,
but after a while that pleasure disappeared
and it was replaced with distaste.

When I found myself wanting to say your name
I couldn't.

My mouth started to filter my words
and your name was never allowed to
pass through.

A long time ago your name was my favorite word,
but now I no longer find the need to say it.
-B.S.